w/Women's National Team

Mar 10, 2006

Starting in late March, Center Circle e-magazine will transform from the once-a-month newsletter on ussoccer.com, becoming an interactive page that will be updated on a regular basis with new features on all the U.S. National Teams. All your favorite CC sections will still be available, such as Armchair Midfielder, In 3s and You Don’t Know Jack (Marshall) trivia, mixed in with more podcast interviews, new video segments, a chance for you to rant opinions and ask questions, and much, much more.

Our little Center Circle baby is all grown up. Come check it out.

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In our last edition, we pouted about how there are such great nicknames across the world, such as the Matildas of Australia, the Super Falcons of Nigeria, the Samba Queens of Brazil and the Steel Roses of China, but that a nickname for the U.S. Women’s National Team had yet to evolve over the years. We were hoping that by reaching out to you, our fans, that someone could supply us with a nickname we could someday call our own. And, man, did you ever come through. Well, kinda.

Some were good. Some were great. Some made us open up our history books, while others just made us look at each other and shake our heads. But in the end, you provided us with one or two that might just catch on in the years to come. Here were some of our favorites.

The Lady Patriots and The Glory GirlsThe first e-mail we received came from Gary Rossi (San Diego, Calif.) and when we read his opening sentence – “Hi, I’m a retired Navy Seal…” – we knew we’d be sharing his nicknames with you, good or bad. Listen, we need an upset Navy Seal coming to Soccer House to complain that we didn’t use his nicknames, like we need Landon Donovan to get hurt before the World Cup. Luckily, we didn’t have to worry as he provided two quality monikers – The Lady Patriots and The Glory Girls.

(By the way, Gary told us he coaches a girls high school freshman soccer team. Anyone else picture the tryouts involving 40 tiny girls doing pull-ups, sit-ups, swinging along monkey bars and treading water while holding a brick over their head, all the while with Gary screaming, “Do you want to play soccer!? Do you!?” Then, finally, a girl says she wants to quit and Gary just shakes his head and says, “And you want to be a Lady Patriot?…” OK, so that’s not what happens and we’re sure Gary is a great, and most likely more gentle, high school coach. And if we’ve upset you Gary, ahhh…Soccer House has moved to Tibet.)

Just a Couple to Think AboutRobert Moseley sent us a couple names to consider. Wait, did I say a few? I meant 20! Best part was at the end of the list he deadpanned, “Just a couple to think about.” While we aren’t going to mention all 20 here, we’ll pull out a few of the better nicknames he came up with, like Dream Girls, Star Spangled Girls and Uncle Sam’s Nieces. Thanks Robert.

The Goalden GirlsWe didn’t mention it above, but Robert also offered the nickname, Golden Girls. Not bad, but Patricia Escobar’s The Goalden Girls was just that much better. Oddly, she was also thinking along the same lines as Robert with Dream Girls, before offering the more unique, The Apple Pies.

(On another tangent again, but shouldn’t some Hollywood producer be doing everything in his power to start up a “The View”-like morning talk show called “The Goalden Girls,” starring Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett and Kristine Lilly?? This is perfect, right? Foudy could host/moderate (a.k.a. Meredith Vieira) and they’d talk about everything and anything from politics to kids to sports. This needs to happen. Our thinking is it’s being held back until Lilly gets her 400th cap or retires, whichever happens first.)

Soccer GaweasRick Leach’s e-mail was simple and to the point: “How ‘bout the Soccer Gaweas in honor of Sacagawea. A truly heroic American woman.”

Hmmm…a test of our U.S. history, and a good one at that. Who is Sacagawea, you ask? Well, we’ll give you a hint. She served as a guide and interpreter with a famous explorer that had the same last name as the U.S. midfielder who served in a perfect cross to Landon Donovan for the clinching goal in the 2-0 victory against Mexico in the Round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup. Need more? The explorer’s partner’s last name was Clark. They are credited with “discovering the West.” If you haven’t figured it out yet, just Google Sacagawea.

Maybe the name Soccer Gaweas is a bit too much due to the play on words, but if you can get past that, you’ve got to give it up for Rick’s creativeness.

Keeping With the History ThemeAs we got deeper and deeper into the e-mails, we discovered we were basically taking 8th grade history all over again. Here are a couple more American history related nicknames:

- Stan Rimdzuis (Cherry Hill, N.J.) provided the nickname, The Mollies, based after the story of Mary Hays McCauly, better known as Molly Pitcher. The wife of William Hays, Mary helped her husband and his fellow troops during the battle of Monmouth in the Revolutionary War by bringing pitcher after pitcher of cool spring water to help cool the hot cannons and quench the soldier’s thirst. Later, when her husband was wounded, she picked up the slack by manning his gun. Stan explained that The Mollies would fit well, because it conjures up the image of bravery, determination and heroics, everything the WNT embodies. Tru dat, Stan! Plus, we’re scared to go 1v1 with Abby Wambach in a arm-wrestling match, let alone giving her a gun. That girl is ripped!

- Brian Beiler, coach of Havre de Grace Soccer in Maryland, offered up The Untouchables. You’ve probably seen the movie (or TV show) based on a true story about U.S. Treasury agents, led by Elliot Ness, who brought down organized crime boss Al Capone. The relation to the U.S. WNT? Brian says the nickname fits because the WNT’s skill is unmatched and they are the best team in the world, making their goal almost untouchable. And there’s no doubt the WNT would be able to save a runaway baby stroller falling down a flight of stadium steps during a game…if that ever became a problem…which it is highly unlikely it would.

Less ExplanationWhile the history lesson was fun, we also got a number of nicknames that didn’t need as much explanation.

- Mario Torres wrote to us with Lady Liberties (“with the Statue of Liberty holding the Women’s World Cup trophy instead of the torch”) and Daughters of Democracy.

- Michael Mannes got creative while thinking up a unique women’s team name with The Fine Nines (after Title IX) and The Double-Crossers (XX vs. XY).

- And lastly, playing off Uncle Sam and Sam’s Army, an anonymous reader submitted The Sammy’s.

There you go. Above is what you, the fans, provided us. Are there more you ask? Well, to be honest, yes. But, when the next best nickname is Big Can of Kick Ass, we figure it’s time to stop. And that was not a joke.

Will the Federation, players and fans, alike adopt any of these? Only time will tell. Thanks again!